Kolkata, February 14 First-time semifinalists Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand will aim to extend their impressive runs when they face the strong teams of Bengal and Karnataka respectively in the Ranji Trophy semifinals, which begin on Sunday.
Jammu and Kashmir made history by reaching their first semifinal with a 56-run victory over Madhya Pradesh in Indore, marking their deepest run in the competition since their debut in 1959-60.
Seam bowler Auqib Nabi was the key to their victory, taking 12 wickets for 110 runs. Nabi has been one of the leading wicket-takers this season with 46 wickets, leading a disciplined attack, while left-arm seamer Sunil Kumar has provided solid support with 22 wickets.
With the bat, Abdul Samad has been in excellent form, scoring 543 runs, while veteran captain Paras Dogra has contributed 484, providing stability in crucial situations.
They now face a formidable Bengal team, known for its strength in both batting and bowling.
Sudip Kumar Gharami's monumental 299 in the quarterfinal helped Bengal defeat Andhra by an innings and 90 runs in Kalyani, showcasing the strength of their top order. Gharami has scored 651 runs this season, while Sumanta Gupta (506), Anustup Majumdar (367), and Abhimanyu Easwaran (373) have provided stability.
Bengal's bowling unit has also been effective. While Shahbaz Ahmed leads the wicket chart with 39 wickets, Bengal has a strong Indian pace attack led by Mohammed Shami (28), Akash Deep (19), and Mukesh Kumar, who took five wickets in the quarterfinals. SS Jaiswal has also contributed with 20 wickets.
Bengal will have the advantage of playing at home, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani.
Uttarakhand vs. Karnataka
=================
In the other semifinal to be played at Lucknow's Ekana Cricket Stadium, Uttarakhand will face eight-time champions Karnataka after their impressive rise in domestic cricket.
Uttarakhand secured their place in the last four with an innings and six-run victory over Jharkhand in Jamshedpur, while Karnataka defeated Mumbai by four wickets, a formidable team in Indian domestic cricket that has won a record 42 titles.
For Uttarakhand, spinner Mayank Mishra starred with an eight-wicket haul, including 5 for 22 in the second innings, and currently leads the tournament's wicket tally with 52.
All-rounder Jagadeesha Suchith has also been crucial, taking 25 wickets with his left-arm spin and scoring 414 runs. Captain Kunal Chandela has been prolific with the bat, scoring 709 runs at an average above 64, while former Mumbai opener Bhupen Lalwani has added 409 runs for Uttarakhand, who finished second in their group before carrying that momentum into the knockouts.
Having defeated defending champions Mumbai, Karnataka are now on the verge of domestic glory.
The southern team has not won the trophy since their back-to-back triumphs in 2013-14 and 2014-15. Chasing a ninth Ranji title, Karnataka brings experience and depth to the semifinal.
Mayank Agarwal (492) and Devdutt Padikkal (300) headline a strong batting lineup, while Smaran Ravichandran (688) and Karun Nair (631) have also had prolific seasons.
However, it is their key batter KL Rahul who has proven decisive, scoring 138 in the quarterfinal. During Karnataka's back-to-back title-winning seasons, Rahul had amassed a combined 1,871 runs across those campaigns, highlighting his importance to their championship aspirations.
The bowling attack is also strong, with leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal taking 41 wickets, and pacers Vidwath Kaverappa (37) and Shikhar Shetty (33) providing quality support.
India seamer Prasidh Krishna further strengthens the pace attack.
While Bengal and Karnataka are considered favorites on paper, both Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand have shown the belief and discipline needed to challenge established teams, setting up two exciting semifinal contests.